Adding a bit of zinc to sterling?

Jewelry Discussion
1

Yet another homemade alloy/silver related post.

What can I say, homemade alloys are fun (when they Work) and I want a better sterling than traditional sterling.

My question is, would replacing a bit of the copper with zinc by alloying the sterling with yellow brass make it noticeably more resistant to tarnish and firestain? By melting the silver with 7.5% brass it would work out to 92.5% silver, 5.25% copper, 2.25% zinc. Is that enough zinc to provide any resistance to said firestain and tarnish?

ArgentumMoon

2

Not sure but wouldn’t the zinc volitize with that much heat? And it is toxic when it does so. That’s one reason that bronze is most often used instead of brass for casting.